More new Hero Arts stamps

Hi all - hope you're warm, wherever you are!   It's 16 degrees F here right now but that didn't stop me from running around today.  Headed right to Anchor Paper in St Paul when it opened - their newsletter said they'd have a large selection of new 2013 Hero Arts stamps.  Here's the display:

I was impressed with their supply of both clear and clings; they have quite a few that Archiver's didn't stock.  They didn't order any woodblock stamps this time though.  Here's what I brought home from Anchor Paper:

The garden clear set looked like a winner.  I saw the birthday candles used by Jennifer McGuire in this post - she colored them in such vibrant hues, I was inspired to get that cling set!  Thought the thanks postcard would be fun and I liked the flower background and leafy vines too.

Of course, there's an Archiver's not too far from St Paul in Roseville so I stopped in and picked up a few more 2013 Hero Arts stamps from my wish list:

A coworker's wife just had a baby so I couldn't resist the new baby background stamp "Our Baby".  Then I decided to pick up the new chevron cling called "Edgy Background" and a valentine/love stamp that I don't seem to find in the catalog.  It's styled like several of the new K size woodblocks.  Huh - I'll check with someone from Hero Arts - it's H5669 - they don't put the names on anymore, just the number.  I miss the name and have taken to writing it on the end with a Sharpie.

This morning I was up super early (3a.m.) making cards I need to mail by Monday.  Made an anniversary card for my sister and brother-in-law but forgot to photograph it.  Oh well... Then I played around with my Silhouette SD and cut some fun elements from a digital file called "Assorted Gentleman Dress Up" by Totally Jamie.  It reminded me so much of my friend Doug who has a birthday coming up on January 2nd.  I made him this card:

 

He has that kind of handlebar mustache and sings in a comedy quartet that wears hats like these.  I had fun inking the white digi cuts with various Distress inks, stains and markers.  Love those new metallic stains - the eyeglasses have silver overlaid with bronze, nice shimmer in real life.  The hat texture is a fun basketweave and the bowtie is stamped with the new Hero Arts pinstripe.

 

Now I'm off to make a birthday card for my great-aunt who'll be 96 next week!  Thanks for stopping by - hope you're enjoying the weekend!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all celebrating today!  Here's a pair of cards that I used as my main ones to send to my mailing list.  I did a few blue ones too.  The background is a new 2013 Hero Arts Pinstripes stamp - love it!  The snowman is a stamp and die set by Hero Arts for Archiver's.  Those sets made Christmas card making a breeze along with my Vagabond.  I also did a few with a reindeer stamp and die but didn't get a photo of those.

I began my holiday celebrating on Saturday the 22nd by visiting my aunt and uncle in Wisconsin.  The drive along the Mississippi River was spectacular on that sunny but cold day.  Here we are on Sunday after we watched the Green Bay Packers win big over the Titans- yay!  Then we ate a pumpkin pie my aunt and I made.  Yummy!!

Most of the family spent Christmas apart but I had a fun Christmas Eve with my sister Kari.  We enjoyed eating nachos and watching movies last night.  She set up a tripod so we could get this photo, plus she took some others for her Facebook page, including some with a mini Christmas tree and a Santa hat.

Today I drove home from Kari's while she went to work; yes, she had to work on Christmas Day!  Finished up with decorating my upstairs Christmas tree.  Sorry for the long post but I'm sharing my Christmas trees and a couple of special ornaments rec'd this year.  First is my my main tree - a 7 1/2 foot slim tree I put in front of the upstairs window since I don't do any outdoor lighting.  Then my downstairs tree - a 4 footer.  Then three mini trees I have with all Hallmark mini ornaments collected over the years.
 

 

 

 

 

Now I must feature a couple of special ornaments I received as gifts this year. My sister Tami always gets everyone an ornament at Thanksgiving since we traditionally put up our trees the day after (oops, I was late....just finished today!). What a darling owl ornament and of course I love the purple one!

And here's a special ornament, the Irish angel, sent all the way from Ireland from my friend Heather along with some other wonderful goodies - thanks again, Heather!!  This lovely ornament has a featured spot on the front of the tree not too far from my sister's ornament.  After all, Heather and I are Hero Hostess Sisters! 

I had Christmas Dinner with my good friends, Connie and Doug at their son Scott's.  Here they all are:

Scott cooked a traditional ham, along with yummy side dishes and a delightful chocolate mouse cake he found at Sam's Club.  And here I am with Connie; I'm wearing my funny Christmas sweater, complete with sequins and beads and felt Christmas trees, plus little bell earrings.

Sorry again for the long post!  Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, if you celebrate that holiday.  Thanks for stopping by!

Hero Arts 2013 Debut Party

Hi all - once again, it's been a while since my last post.  Well, I've been busy getting ready for and performing in our chorus holiday show (it was last Saturday).  Plus all the holiday decorating and baking...  Hmm - I didn't mention my Christmas cards which need some attention.

Time to take the focus off the holidays for a moment and turn to the debut of new Hero Arts stamps!  See the HA Blog for a fun hop with 22 designers using new stamps in awesome ways.

Lucky me to have many Archiver's stores within easy driving distances in the Twin Cities, all debuting new Hero Arts stamps.  But I thought it would be fun to journey to the Mall of America store, taking a long lunch from work today.  As one of those bus-riding commuters, I had to take another bus from downtown St Paul out to MOA.  The ride only took 40 minutes with the various stops and I had just a short elevator ride and walk from the transit center to the 3rd floor Archiver's.  What a bonanza of new stamps awaited me!  Here I am in front of the main display - holding the new catalog/idea book. 

 

Did you notice the beautiful scarf around my neck?  I got it from my friend Heather who handcrafted it with some textured yarn that just twists naturally as you knit it.  Thanks again, Heather - doesn't it go perfectly with my purple shirt?

Archiver's is giving the Hero Arts idea books away with a $20 purchase - just two clear sets and you've got it!  Beyond the main display, they also had a couple other spots holding new woodblock stamps.  I can never resist the woodblock backgrounds and picked up two new ones, pictured below with some of the clear sets I bought. 

 



Then I found a few more clear sets and a couple of clings I couldn't live without.

 
Now I just need some time to get creating with all these wonderful stamps. Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow with a card - meantime, I'm off to finish the inspiring blog hop. Thanks for stopping!